Chemical, biological and nutritional characterization of unconventional food plants of the genus Solanum L. (Solanaceae)

• Autor(a) principal: Moreira de Sousa, Welinton Gustavo
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: de Abreu, Maria Carolina
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Eletrônica Científica da Uergs
• Texto Completo: https://revista.uergs.edu.br/index.php/revuergs/article/view/3330
• topic: Fitoquímica; toxicidade; bioatividade; nutracêutico.; Fitoquímica; toxicidad; bioactividad; nutracéutico.; Phytochemistry; toxicity; bioactivity; nutraceutical.

Unconventional food plants (UFP) are species that are not usually used in human food, considered weeds, but which are a source of nutrients and secondary metabolites. However, such plants are not exploited in food, due to lack of knowledge about cultivation and preparation methods, nutritional profile and consumption safety. In view of this, the present study carried out a bibliographical research about six species of the genus Solanum (Solanaceae), classified as UFP, aiming, with this, to highlight their nutraceutical, phytochemical, toxicological and biological potentials. The bibliographic research was based on a survey of books and scientific articles in the PubMed, Science Direct, EMBASE and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases, following the time frame from 2000 to 2020. Among the 1.447 journals surveyed, we selected 68, since these, in the analysis carried out, contemplated the methodological criteria and, thus, were used in the characterization of the species. The literature points out that the species are rich in nutrients and secondary metabolites, as they have potential to combat various diseases. Furthermore, the literature draws attention to chemical groups and toxic elements present in some representatives of the genus Solanum. The results denote, in short, the potential of the species for the development of pharmaceutical ingredients and functional foods with a beneficial impact on human health.